Step 2: Identify the Biotic and Abiotic Factors in your ecosystem

1. Research the biotic factors and abiotic factors specific to your ecosystem.

2. Add a headline for each factor, and underneath, list the factors you found (should be 5-6 for EACH)

2. Underneath your list, add pictures or videos of at least one of the factors.

Step 3: Carrying Capacity and Changes in Populations

1. Add a headline and define carrying capacity and what resources are needed for a population to survive.

2. In a text box, explain how a population of organisms (specific to your ecosystem) changes over time depending on the availability of habitat resources. (think about Oh Deer! and relate it to an animal population in YOUR ecosystem.)

3. Add a grahpic: find/create a graph or some other visual aid (picture/video) to help illustrate this idea (what you wrote about in #2)

Here are some awesome resources to create graphics:

Step 4: Limiting Factors and Predator/Prey Relationships

1. Add a headline to define and give examples of limiting factors specific for your ecosystem.

2. In a text box, describe a specific predator/prey relationship in your ecosystem and how limiting factors can affect them.

3. Add pictures or other visual aids to illustrate this idea (the predator/prey relationship you wrote about in #2)

Step 5: Energy Roles

1. Define and give examples of organisms specific to your ecosystem for each of the energy roles: producers, consumers, decomposers. Make sure you include the different types of consumers (herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, scavenger)

2. Insert pictures/video to show some of these organisms.

3. Explain from where each of the energy roles recieve its energy.

4. Explain the role of producers in the energy transfer from the sun. (Why are producers vital to any ecosystem?)

Step 6: Food Chains and Food Webs

3. Explain what would happen if you removed one population from your food web. What affects would that have on other populations.

Step 7: Trophic Levels and Energy Pyramids

1. Use Google Drawings or another graphics creator to create an energy pyramid for your ecosystem using some of the organisms from your food web. You should have the name or a picture of the organisms in the correct trophic level.

2. Label the trophic levels and include the approximate amount of energy available at each level (kcals). You may also color code your levels if you wish.

3. Explain the reason behind the use a pyramid shape rather than some other shape like a cylindar or cube. (What does the pyramid shape show about the energy?)

4. Explain why producers are in the largest level (base) and top predators are in the smallest level. (What does this represent?)

Step 8: Photosynthesis

1. Add a graphic that shows the process of photosynthesis. (You can find it or create one of your own).

2. Write the chemical equation using the chemical formulas for all substances involved in photosynthesis.

3. Explain or show what is NEEDED (the reactants) for photosynthesis and what is PRODUCED (the products) by photosynthesis.

4. Explain or show where photosynthesis takes place within a plants cells.

5. Show the energy transformation taking place during photosynthesis.

Step 9: Tropisms

1. Define and give examples of tropisms you may find in your ecosystem.

2. Find a picture or video that displays one or more of these.

3. Explain how these tropisms help the plants of your ecosystem survive.

Step 10: The Role of Decomposers

1. Explain why decomposers are vital to your ecosystem. What effects would there be if there were no decomposers?

2. What are some types of decomposers you would find in your ecosystem?

3. Find a graphic or video that covers this topic.

Step 11: Adaptations

1. Explain the importance or purpose of having adaptations and how they help organisms survive. Include the different types of adaptations in your explanation.

2. List and show adaptations that plants and animals would need to have in your environment. Include both plant and animal adaptations with pictures or videos.

3. Describe the effects of placing an organism from your environment in to a different environment. What would happen to the organism (other than "they would die")?

Step 12: Natural Selection

1. Define natural selection and why it is important for organisms in an ecosystem.

2. Give an example of an organism that has been naturally selected in your ecosystem. Explain in detail how the process occured and how to population changed. Also include the cause of the change. In other words, how did the environment change that required the population to change in response.

3. Include a graphic or video that shows this concept.

Step 13: YOU ARE DONE!!! Almost.... ;)

1. Go back and check spelling, grammar, capitalization, and punctuation in EVERY section.

2. Check all pictures and make sure they are clear. If they are blurry, you need to think about replacing them with a clear picture.

3. Go back and check ALL 12 STEPS and make sure you have a headline for each step, ALL of the details from my instructions, and a picture or video for each step.

Congratulations! You have worked very hard and have done a great job!! Your work is out there for the WORLD to see! Be proud of it!